-Establishing metropolitan-to-local linkage system with expert and relevant agency participation; discussing service models tailored to Incheon's characteristics-

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced the formation and full-scale operation of the ‘Incheon Metropolitan City Integrated Support Council’ to establish a metropolitan-level integrated care system, aligning with the upcoming implementation of the 「Act on Integrated Support for Regional Care, Including Medical and Nursing Care」 on March 27.

The council comprises representatives from relevant city departments, experts in healthcare, welfare, housing, academia, and related institutions. It will set city-level policy directions through the organic linkage of care resources such as medical, nursing, welfare, and housing within the region, and oversee and coordinate district-level integrated care projects.

At its inaugural meeting held on February 20, the council held a commissioning ceremony for its members and shared the 2026 direction for Incheon's integrated care promotion. Discussions covered establishing roles between metropolitan and local governments, a case management linkage system, and building service models tailored to Incheon's characteristics.

Committee members actively participated in establishing a practical cooperation system, offering diverse opinions on implementation tasks such as discovering services reflecting regional characteristics, strengthening community connections for discharged patients, and expanding policies addressing loneliness.

The city has designated 2026 as the implementation foundation and expansion phase aligned with the enforcement of the Integrated Care Act. Following the January 2026 organizational restructuring, it plans to strengthen on-site execution capabilities by integrating and coordinating medical, welfare, housing, and isolation response sectors under the Integrated Care Division within the Loneliness Care Bureau.

Meanwhile, the city expects to complete the ‘service linkage’ phase—connecting necessary services to recipients in all 10 counties and districts—by the end of February, accelerating preparations for the main project in March.

Yoo Jun-ho, Director of the Loneliness Care Bureau, stated, “The Integrated Support Council is more than a simple advisory body; it is the central axis of cooperation that jointly designs the direction of local care policies,” adding, “We will build a seamless social safety net based on the experience and wisdom of public and private sector experts.”